I've had my ASC for 30 years or so; it was a gift from Jim Papadopoulos when he went off to grad school. During that time, I've taken it down a few times, once with Hilary Stone's guidance. I've ridden a few thousand miles with mine, and really like it. What can I add:
--> Most of the critical parts are, or seem to be, in very short supply. It's derived from an obscure and totally obsolete 4-speed, so there are few ways to cannibalize. Hilary (and, I assume others) have a few parts for rebuilding. But try to preserve, instead.
--> Wear. keep it oiled. the critical points are the small support axles for the epicyclic gears. This stuff is all hardened and Good Stuff, but I do have one worn little axle, and haven't been willing to have a replacement part made. Doesn't affect performance as far as I can tell.
--> Adjustment. It matters. One doesn't want to make a habit of letting the gears slip, grinding metal. And one does want full engagement. Read the instructions.
--> take-down and reassembly. I did it for curiosity. Rarely needed, but interesting. There is one trick: the epicyclics are indexed (at least one has a stamp at one tooth), and it is critical to have that properly aligned with something. I'm away from home, and don't have time to check the instructions on Sheldon's site, but it matters a lot. This is common to the 4-speeds, so any of the remaining experienced mechanics will be familiar with it.
--> Torque. As Dan Artley implied, I'm cautious about letting NFL linemen (300# and up) ride mine. It was designed for British athletes, and seems to have held up well, but I don't think these were people of that strength. In practical terms, Dan's right: higher gears mean less torque, which is good. At my age, I have no fear that I will over-torque and strip teeth, but I do urge those who ride it to spin instead of mashing.
--> Ride 'em, cowboys. They're great fun, but I find it much more fun to ride than to talk about. The gear range is 25% total, so it works just fine in rolling country. I've done a couple of fixed gear centuries on straight gear, and look forward to doing one on this hub, too. In the meantime, just a nice ride on the weekend.
harvey sachs
mcLean Va most of the time.